Explain why the Diet of Worms took place. (12)

Explain why the Diet of Worms took place. (12)

in 1512 Luther was appointed professor of Biblical studies at the University of Wittenberg in Electoral Saxony

1514 Tetzel begins his sale of indulgences

1517 Luther protests the sale of indulgences amongst other things by writing the 95 Theses

1518 Meeting at Augsburg where Cardinal Cajetan represented the Pope and attempted to get Luther to admit he was wrong and was defying the authority of the Pope however this only pushed Luther to deny the Pope further

1519 Leipzig Debate - a public debate on Luther's teachings in the presence of one of Luther opponents Duke George

Luther was against one of the best debaters around at the time (John Eck) and the debate ended with Luther being backed into corner being forced to declare himself as a heretic agreeing with many of the views of the notorious heretic Jan Hus

from this the church had no choice but to excommunicate Luther removing him from the Christian society

1520 Bull of excommunication was produced giving Luther 60 days to recant his views or risk being banned from further writing and preachingafter every attempt to silence Luther had failed with him gaining more popularity and him upholding his views along the way a final attempt to silence him for good was organised in the form of the Diet of Worms an event that was attended by the Emperor Charles V attended himself

there was serious resistence to the bull with Luther writing a parody of the document and a bonfire was organised to burn copies of the bull an activity which Luther himself partook in - this was interpreted as Luther burning the Pope and was taken very seriously